What is Veterinary Physiotherapy?
The aim of veterinary physiotherapy is to aid rehabilitation following injury or pain, and to enhance mobility and sporting performance.
It involves the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal and/or neurological problems in animals.
It combines an assessment of the conformation, movement, tissue states, and joint mobility of an animal to provide a tailored treatment and home exercise plan that is individualised for each animal; this comes with a high knowledge of anatomy of the musculoskeletal system and evidence-based treatment methods.
Treatment may include a wide variety of therapies, which you can find out more about under the ‘therapies’ drop down menu.
How do I know if my animal needs physiotherapy?
Animal’s can’t always tell us when they are in pain and they are clever at hiding their discomfort, you may have noticed something as simple as reduced performance or behavioural problems, or perhaps they just aren’t their normal selves.
Or perhaps they have an obvious lameness or they need rehabilitation before or following surgery.
Physiotherapy is also essential in competition animals to prepare them for competition and to improve performance and recovery, just as in human athletes.
However, physiotherapy is not just for animals which are senior, injured or in competition; all animals deserve regular maintenance appointments to ensure your companion is happy and comfortable.
What are the benefits?
Physiotherapy aims to restore normal movement and comfort in the musculoskeletal system where movement may be restricted and/or painful.
It also limits the impact of an injury or disease process, such as slowing progression of conditions such as osteoarthritis.
Working alongside the veterinarian and other paraprofessionals, physiotherapy optimises the healing process and facilitates a quicker and more successful return to function and performance.
I will be with you and your animal every step of the way throughout the treatment journey and we will reach your goals together.
Jackson Vet Physio may be able to help your dog with the following:
Jackson Vet Physio may be able to help your dog with the following:
Arthritis
It is estimated that 1 in 5 adult dogs and up to 65% of dogs aged 7 and over have arthritis (OA).
Arthritis is a progressive condition that cannot be cured. Several things, such as injuries, repetitive high-impact activity and excess weight, can contribute to the development of OA.
It doesn’t only affect joints and the immediate surrounding tissues but also causes compensatory issues including muscle spasm, spinal pain and overuse injury on the compensating body parts.
Signs of OA can be difficult to identify until the disease has progressed significantly.
The signs of OA:
-
stiffness, especially in the morning, that tends to ease with gentle exercise
-
reluctance to go up or down stairs / the sofa / bed / car
-
slowing down or unwillingness on walks, sitting or lying down during a walk
-
lameness / limping / weakness
-
change in behavior / temperament
-
chewing or licking joints / avoiding touch of certain joint
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a common genetic conditions that is caused by abnormal development of the hip joints.
As a result, normal movement causes irregular forces on the joint surface and soft bones of developing puppies. This will cause damage to the joints over time and will eventually lead to arthritis.
Often mild elbow or hip dysplasia go undiagnosed until they have progressed to arthritis and caused a limp or noticeable muscle loss. X-rays are required for diagnosis. Mild cases can be treated conservatively but more severe cases could require surgery.
Signs of hip dysplasia:
-
limping or ‘head nod’ during walking
-
‘bunny hopping’ with both back legs together
-
reluctance to jump (on the sofa or in the car) or use the stairs
-
stiffness or difficulty getting up
-
discomfort/pain in the hips, especially during hip extension
-
muscle loss around the hips
Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is the most common cause of forelimb lameness in young, large and giant breed dogs. Most dogs have a limp on one or both front legs. This can be seen as a nodding of the head when the good leg is placed and lifting of the head when the bad leg is placed.
Some dogs that limp on both front legs will not have a limp, but will have an unusual “paddling” gait. Lameness is often triggered by prolonged rest and exercise.
At home, you will have noticed lameness or stiffness and your primary care vet will have noticed elbow pain in your dog.
Signs of elbow dysplasia:
-
limping one or both front legs
-
elbows ‘tucked in’ with toes pointing outwards
-
reluctance to play or exercise
-
discomfort/pain and swelling in the elbows
-
stiffness after rest or holding elbows straight in front
Weight Loss
Approximately 40% of dogs (over 3.5 million individuals) in the UK are overweight or obese according to the PSDA 2018 report.
Excess weight can cause multiple medical problems, worsen musculoskeletal issues, decrease the quality of life and shorten lifespan by as much as two years. Overweight dogs are also more likely to develop arthritis.
Check your dog’s body score here
Physiotherapy plan will support your dog’s weight loss journey. By providing the right exercise, management and therapy plan for each dog’s individual needs, physiotherapy can help restore mobility, strength and quality of life.
Physiotherapy intervention can also prevent injuries and slow down the development of osteoarthritis commonly seen in overweight dogs.
